Vehicle seat control device and vehicle seat device

• US 9,511,684 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2015
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hamabe, Tsutomu, Iwaihara, Reiji, Sato, Hikaru, Katoh, Kohshi, Takeuchi, Eishi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOLDMAN, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US14/695,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20150306982A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 792/843, 792/844, 792/849, 792/841.1, 701/49, 701/45, 701/36, 701/300, 701/48
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0244 with logic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0256 Arrangements for facilitating the occupant to get in or out of the vehicle, e.g. stowing a seat forward
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/39 Seats tiltable to compensate for roll inclination of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/0208 the seat or seat part turning about or moving along an inclined axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/0212 the seat or seat part turning about or moving along a longitudinal axis

Abstract

A vehicle seat control device includes a seat unit on which an occupant sits, a seat unit support mechanism that supports the seat unit such that a right side and a left side of the seat unit are capable of moving relative to each other in a vehicle up-down direction, a lock actuator for fixing the relative movement in the up-down direction of the seat unit supported by the seat unit support mechanism, and a seat ECU that controls the lock actuator so as to fix the seat unit in cases in which a predetermined fixing condition for fixing the seat unit has been satisfied.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat control device comprising:

a fixing section that fixes swiveling movement about an axis of a seat unit on which an occupant sits, with the seat unit supported by a seat unit support section that supports the seat unit such that a right side and a left side of the seat unit are capable of moving relative to each other in the up-down direction; and

a control section that controls the fixing section so as to fix the seat unit in cases in which a predetermined fixing condition for fixing the seat unit has been satisfied.

2. The vehicle seat control device of claim 1, wherein cases in which the fixing condition has been satisfied are cases in which data that indicates at least one action, selected from the group consisting of an occupant boarding the vehicle, an occupant alighting the vehicle, and an occupant preparing to alight, has been detected by a detection section for detecting the data.

3. The vehicle seat control device of claim 2, wherein the control section controls the fixing section so as to fix the seat unit in cases in which, as an occupant is boarding the vehicle or is alighting the vehicle, the detection section has detected a parking range for a shift position and opening of a door.

4. The vehicle seat control device of claim 2, wherein the control section controls the fixing section so as to fix the seat unit in cases in which, as an occupant is alighting the vehicle, the detection section has detected disappearance of pressure on the seat unit.

5. The vehicle seat control device of claim 2, wherein the control section controls the fixing section so as to fix the seat unit in cases in which, as an occupant is alighting the vehicle, the detection section has detected a turned off engine and an unfastened seatbelt.

6. The vehicle seat control device of claim 2, wherein the control section controls the fixing section so as to fix the seat unit in cases in which, as an occupant is alighting the vehicle, the detection section has detected a turned off engine.

7. The vehicle seat control device of claim 2, wherein the control section controls the fixing section so as to fix the seat unit in cases in which, as an occupant is preparing to alight, the detection section has detected a turned off engine and a vehicle speed of 0.

8. The vehicle seat control device of claim 1, further comprising:

a fixing instruction section that instructs fixing of the seat unit by the fixing section, wherein

the control section controls the fixing section so as to fix the seat unit in cases in which, as the fixing condition, fixing has been instructed by the fixing instruction section.

9. The vehicle seat control device of claim 1, further comprising:

an instruction section to instruct fixing, and fixing release, of the seat unit by the fixing section, wherein

the control section prioritizes instruction by the instruction section and controls the fixing section according to instruction of the instruction section.

10. The vehicle seat control device of claim 1, wherein the control section further controls the fixing section so as to make the seat unit movable in cases in which a predetermined movement condition for making the seat unit movable has been satisfied.

11. A vehicle seat device comprising:

a seat unit on which an occupant sits;

a seat unit support section that supports the seat unit such that a right side and a left side of the seat unit are capable of moving relative to each other in a vehicle up-down direction; and

the vehicle seat control device of claim 1.